


Strip me

by paynstergram



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-06
Updated: 2013-08-21
Packaged: 2017-12-22 15:20:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/914802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paynstergram/pseuds/paynstergram
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That’s just how his life works, law student at day, famous stripper in London’s fanciest strip club at night. And really, his life could be worse."</p><p>Or the one in which Liam's a famous swimmer and doesn't know that Louis's not only a student, but also a stripper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One: Louis

Louis Tomlinson, age 21, law student and part time stripper.  
That’s what his business card would say, if he had one. But he doesn’t and he really really is playing with the thought of getting some. “Would make everything so easy” he thinks. No more stupid questions about how the hell he is able to pay for his flat if he’s just a student. He could pass them around every time he meets new people or could hire a plane and throw them out of the window.  
It’s not really that he tries to hide it. He likes his job, he really does. Although he can in fact remember how awkward the first times were, when he still thought he’d only be doing this to earn money for university. But if he’s honest with himself (he rarely is, thinking just makes things complicated and serious and Louis doesn’t like complicated and serious.), he know that he does it for the attention.  
He loves the feeling of hundred of eyes on him, that he’s the reason for hundreds of men to go home and have a nice good wank. It makes him feel special and like he isn’t just one under thousands of law students, like he got something special, something that makes him interesting and makes him stick out of the masses.  
Besides, the money’s definitely good, he won’t lie about that either. And he mostly works the late shift, when most of the guests are already drunk and feel like they’re about to explode of anticipation, the time of the night were they’re just generous and he always manages to get a hell lot of tips.  
Anticipating to see him, Louis thinks smugly, him, “the ass”.  
It’s the stupidest nickname/pseudonym in the whole universe, Louis’s aware of that.  
But is kinda just came with the job, so he accepted it, and who would he be to deny that he, in fact got a great ass. “The greatest ass of London” they say and Louis just grins and nods, and when he’s in a especially good mood, he might even turn around and give himself a good slap on said ass, paired with a cheeky wink over the shoulder.  
That’s just how his life works, law student at day, famous stripper in London’s fanciest strip club at night. And really, his life could be worse.

 

There’re a lot of ridiculous things in his life that just come with his job, but coming home to coffee and breakfast and some stupid Tv show after dancing for three hours straight, cleaning himself and the club and having to stay for a team meet up and the publication of next week’s shift plan, really doesn’t belong to those.  
As every Saturday morning he can smell bacon and coffee when he enters his flat, and he just can’t wait to eat something and then watch some stupid Tv show and get some sleep afterwards.  
On normal Saturday mornings it’s either Niall or Harry but never both.  
This morning, it’s different, both act like they just belong there (they do, but Louis also isn’t going to be honest about that), and he hasn’t seen anything more homey in his life, the way Niall’s sitting on his kitchen counter and watches Harry cook just does something to him that he can’t even describe.  
But instead of telling them how thankful he is for coffee and them, he just grumbles :” Morning fuckers, and what did you do?”, and he can’t help the almost fond grin breaking out.

And as always they just get him, know that it’s just Louis, that they have nothing to worry about.  
“Right back at ya sunshine”, Niall still manages to spit out between taking ridiculously big bites of his toast and Harry just rolls his eyes and grins nevertheless.

“I repeat, what did you do?”, and this time he just gets a raised eyebrow and a questioning look from both of them. “Come on guys, the only time you’re both here is when you did something I’m gonna be pissed about, so just spit it out.”  
The eyebrows don’t go down and he makes a mental note to make them break that habit, he can’t really remember a time when they didn’t do that whenever he’s a having a fit or something completely ridiculous comes out of his mouth again, and he’s also pretty sure that they practice behind his back, no fucking way that they can do that this synchronized without practice.  
“We didn’t do anything Lou, we just, ehm, well wanted to ask you something”, Niall begins and then looks at Harry, obviously expecting him to go on, and this time it’s Louis who raises a brow at his best friends weird behaviour. Harry just rolls his eyes at Niall and turns around to Louis, combing through his hair with an almost nervous look on his face: “We were just wondering if you’d come out with us tonight? There’s this opening event, you know, Olympics and stuff”, the last part is almost whispered, and Louis knows exactly why.  
“Nope, no way, not in a million years. You know my rule, no arrogant jocks on the weekends. You know that!”  
Louis hates jocks, he hates how they think that the entire fucking planet belongs to them.  
The few times he had to call for security while or after working, which is really not often to be honest, but when it happens it’s always because of some stupid bloke who thinks he’s the greatest just because he has abs. So it’s really just natural that Louis hates the Olympics with a burning passion and tends to hide in his flat till it’s over.  
“Come on Lou, it’s gonna be fun! We promise, don’t we Harry?”, Niall sounds more excited than he has the entire year and Harry also nods and pouts at Louis, knowing that this pout is literally the only thing that makes him give in. “Come on Lou, pleaseeeee?” 

How they got him to agree to this throughout stupid idea, Louis didn’t really now.  
And again, he made a mental note to himself, to never never ever again agree to go to a jocks party.  
(He really should get a notebook to write down all these things, the amount of stuff he wants to remember is getting ridiculously high)  
The club they’re in is London’s most expensive club and today, honouring the Olympics, the owner invested in ice sculptures and a fucking vodka fountain in the VIP-section.  
“How did you manage to get us on the list anyway?” , he had to raise his voice over the booming music so that Niall would hear him.  
“Gotta ask Harry, says he “knows someone””  
“That curly head fucker”, Louis just shakes his head fondly and points to the bar across the room:” Wanna get something to drink?”

Getting through to the bar proves to be harder than he thought, so Louis uses the chance to let Niall drag him through the crowd and lets his eyes wander around. He can see Harry, standing in the VIP-section talking to some guy Louis doesn’t recognize, and he automatically waves when Harry turns around and scans the crowd.  
“Ow, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”, Niall huffs at him as Louis suddenly takes a turn and makes a beeline in Harry’s direction.  
The bouncer just glances at Louis’s shirt and vans but sighs and lets them in after Harry explained that they belong to him.  
“Guys, meet Zayn, Zayn , the blond one’s Niall and the grumpy one’s Louis”, Harry introduces them.  
For some reason, Zayn thinks it’s cool to wear a leather jacket in a club, but still, Louis has to admit, he’s attractive, the moody attitude suits the jacket and the hair, he thinks.  
But of course, he doesn’t say that. Instead he settles for :” You don’t look like an athlete.”  
“That’s cause I’m not”, and in this second Louis decides he likes this guy and doesn’t care about the ridiculous jacket:” Well, wise choice dear friend, I like you”.  
Zayn just grins:” Come on, I wanna introduce you to someone” and when they arrive at the booth, Louis feels like he can’t breathe.  
The guy sitting there looks up as they approach him and the first thing Louis notices is how the corners of his eyes crinkle when he smiles, and damn, those arms!  
“Liam, this is Harry and his friends Niall and Louis.” “Nice to meet you”, and he fucking offers them a handshake.  
Louis knows he’s gay. He always claims that he knew all his life, which is, of course, bullshit. And he has a fair amount of experiences, knows how to handle attractive persons, how to play his cards to make them go home with him.  
But Liam is different, and Louis doesn’t even know why. Maybe it’s because he acts like he doesn’t know that he’s fucking fit or maybe it’s because he’s so polite and charming at the same time.  
Louis doesn’t do polite. He does assholes, who leave him the morning after or even in the same night and he likes it that way. It makes it easier, mostly because he knows that he doesn’t like them and he doesn’t have to care about feelings.

“Maybe the vodka fountain wasn’t a bad idea after all” he thinks, squished between Liam and Niall and looks for a good excuse to get up and get completely shattered, except he doesn’t. Instead he stays put and tries to look interested although he doesn’t even know what they’re talking about.  
Throughout the whole night, he and Liam don’t talk. He doesn’t know why but he can’t look him in the eyes, and it scares the shit out of him. Louis Tomlinson isn’t nervous or shy. He’s loud and confident. And still, somehow Liam manages to make him feel like a little girl, and they don’t even know each other.  
“What do you even do?”, Louis finally wants to know, and definitely not because he’s interested but just because he can.  
He just rolls his eyes at Liam’s questioning look, because really, that wasn’t the one million dollar question, but you know what they say, muscles but no brain.  
“I mean, Zayn’s not the athlete, and somehow you have to get in here right? So who do you know?”  
And for a short moment, Louis respects Liam, like really respects him. The other male straightens himself and suddenly seems taller and a lot more intimidating “Who I know? You really think I’m just here because I know someone? So you don’t think that I am capable of something? Do I really have to remind you who’s here because Zayn wants to shag your pretty little friend?”, and with that, Liam stands up and makes his way through the crowd and Louis’s still lost for words.  
“Seriously dude? Was that fucking necessary?”, and Louis watches Zayn disappear in the crowd, following Liam and he keeps looking till he lost the other man completely just so he can avoid facing his friends.  
When he turns aound, he’s confronted with two pairs of judgementally raised eyebrows.  
“That was a completely legitimate question, how am I supposed to know that he would get his knickers in a twist?”, he automatically defends himself.  
“He swims dude. He’s like the best around”, and now it’s Louis’s turn to be surprised, but only for a short moment “So he’s pissed that I don’t know who he is? That’s completely fucked up, I’m gonna leave now, shouldn’t have let you fuckers drag me here. I hate jocks!”  
He can hear the other two shuffling behind him and he knows that they’re following him, but right now, he couldn’t care less. Somehow he just knows that him not knowing Liam isn’t what set the other off. Something’s odd, but Louis can’t really put a finger on it, and he doesn’t want to, goddamit, because Liam definitely isn’t worth thinking about.


	2. Chapter 2

"Not in a million years! Why would you think that I would agree to that?", Louis asked, stunned that his supposedly two best friends would ask him to go out with them and Liam Payne, again!

Yes, maybe he did google him, and yes, maybe he did watch the sports channel, just to be sure, not that he's interested in Liam or something, at least that's what he keeps telling himself.  
But for some reason, Liam's face kept appearing before his eyes at the most random moments, when he was dancing and flirting with customers for example. More than once, he caught himself checking the crowds for a familiar face and every time he spotted someone who had just the slightest resemblance to Liam, he got this weird feeling in his stomach and felt like he was going to throw up. And when he then could be sure that in fact, it wasn't Liam, he was sad and somehow relieved at the same time, a combination of feelings he stubbornly tried to ignore.  
Because, why would he want to see Liam again? And even if he maybe would want to, why would he be afraid of Liam knowing what he does for a living? He's proud of his job and not ashamed, why would it be different if Liam knew?

"Because dude, you've been an asshole the last time we met them, and this would be your chance to apologize", Harry just rolled his eyes at his best friend and flashed an exasperated glance at Niall who just shrugged as to say "I told you so".

"First of all, and I'm getting tired of discussing that, it was a completely normal question and he had no right to flip shit like that. And secondly, you just want to get in loverboy's pants."

"First of all, his name is Zayn, and secondly, you've been an asshole and you know it! We're picking you up at 7, you better be ready then.", Harry mimics him and without even waiting for an answer, Harry and Niall left a dumbfounded Louis standing in his kitchen.

He really has to stop doing this and he really needs new friends, Louis thinks while watching people he doesn't know going home or going to work or meeting friends, how is he supposed to know?  
He's sitting in the backseat of Harry's car, not really listening to their conversation. He knows that they expect him to apologize and he knows that they're right. And maybe that's why he spend way more time than necessary in front of his closet, trying to pick an outfit that looks good but not like he tried to hard.  
Although he acts like he doesn't notice, Niall isn't has secretive as he thinks, and Louis can in fact see his glances, a mixture of concern and contained anger. And he knows he really really screwed up and he really really has to apologize, if even Niall is pissed, which is a more than a rare occurence.  
When they arrive at the bar, Louis is more than surprised. Instead of a flashy expensive club or restaurant they're standing in front of an old pub, which doesn't look like Liam would fit in there.  
It's surrounded by that cozy atmosphere Louis hasn't had the luck to find in London yet and just knows from his hometown.  
"He doesn't really like the spotlight you know?" and Louis can guess from the mildly concerned look on Harry's face that he was looking as surprised and shocked as he felt.  
"I really think you two would get along if you'd just try."  
And this time, Louis just shrugs.

 

When he and Harry enter the bar, Niall's already sitting at a table with Liam and Zayn and they can hear him laughing through the whole room.  
The first thing Louis notices is how normal Liam looks, like he totally belongs in a shitty bar which plays Justin Timberlake song's from 2007. And then he just concentrates on controlling this weird feeling in his stomach and telling himself that he didn't just notice the way Liam laughs or how the plain white shirt stretches around his shoulders.  
When they arrive, Harry gets hugged immediatly, while Louis just gets a polite nod of recognition from Zayn and gets completely ignored by Liam, so he just slides in the booth next to Niall and tries to follow the conversation without disturbing it and concentrates instead on the way Liam moves and speaks. He notices every single thing from the tattoos on his arm and the way his body moves with a kind of implicitness and confidence he failed to notice before.  
It's weird he thinks, how Liam's body is all "I'm all confident and strong and I know I'm hot and the best swimmer around" and his eyes are so.. gentle and kinda insecure, Louis thinks. His body doesn't belong in this shitty bar, but his eyes somehow do, and Louis does question if he's high.  
But he definitely isn't and yes, it scares the shit out of him. 

And it scares him that he doesn't even think before following Liam to the bar, claiming to help him carrying the next round of beer.  
Ignoring the suspicious glances from his friends he leans next to Liam while he trys to get the attention of the bartender, and again, he doesn't think before he speaks.  
"You're really fit you know" and times like this make him want to kill himself, because Liam looks at him like he's positive that Louis's insane, and let's face it, maybe he is.  
"Ok, so now you've moved on from insulting me to making fun of me or whatever you're trying to do here"  
"I'm sorry, really. I can't control what I'm saying sometimes. And you really have to believe me when I say that I had no intention of insulting you, like never. Definitely not today and also not last time. I'm just a douchebag sometimes, and I know that.  
Harry and Niall already tried to get me to do some kind of "douchebag therapy" and I'm really considering that and I'm completely embarassing myself here but what I really want to say is: I'm sorry?"and judging the look Liam gives him, Louis is a 100% sure that he's not forgiven and that Liam will still hate im till the day he dies and although he doesn't really know him, he's pretty sure that he couldn't deal with that.  
And when Liam just grabs two beer and makes his way towards the others, Louis definitely feels like crying.  
"You coming or what?",and Liam is grinning at him, and suddenly Louis can understand how authors think that describing a laugh as contagious would be a good idea, and he smiles back, wide, teeth showing and al,l and doesn't even complain about Liam leaving him to juggle with the three remaining glasses.

 

After that evening, they start hanging out with Liam and Zayn a lot more and suddenly they just belong to their group, without Louis even noticing.  
And it's really not like he's complaining, really, because they just fit somehow, in a weird way maybe, and he quickly learns that Zayn isn't as mysterious as he seems, but has in fact a gigantic collection of every comic book ever produced hidden under his bed and Liam is just...Liam.  
Every time Louis wants to describe him he somehow is at a loss for words, because Liam seems to have so many different sides,"50 shades of Liam Payne", Louis likes to joke, which always makes Liam blush, and honestly, blushing Liam is Louis's favorite shade.  
But besides the adorable blushing Liam, there's also the serious Liam, the one who's competitive and kinda scary. The one without the bubbling laugh and the crinkling eyes, and Louis just knows that this Liam isn't just the Liam who really wants to win a race, who wants to be the best, but is also the Liam who had to get through a lot of shit to get to where he is right now, and that also kinda scares Louis because he can't figure out what it is that marked Liam that way.  
But he also figures that Liam doesn't want to talk about it, so he doesn't bring it up, besides, Liam and him only hang out with the others and Louis's pretty sure that Liam doesn't notice small things about him and that he doesn't care about Louis that way.  
So, nobody can really blame him when he's more than surprised to find Liam standing on his doorstep this Saturday night.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hi?", and Louis can't help but raise his eyebrow, a habit he admittedly adopted from Niall and Harry.   
"Ehm..Hi, I hope I don't disturb anything? Because if I do, I can just go.."and Liam trails off and looks so utterly embarassed and as he's really just about to turn around again and leave and Louis just really can't tell him, that yes, he's in fact disturbing an "all Louis day", a day just reserved for him, stupid Tv shows and probably a bottle of wine.  
So he just shakes his head and steps aside, letting Liam enter his flat.  
"So what's up?", he asks while pouring Liam a glass of wine.  
"I mean, there has to be a reason, you know, you just turning up here and stuff. So spit it out", he adds when Liam just looks at him questioningly.  
"Just wanted to get away from everything for a while I s'pose. And you just seem like the kinda person one can hang out with without being judged. You know, just having a good time and all."  
And although he would never admit it, but Louis was flattered, flattered that Liam didn't seem to completely dislike him,.  
"So what's that show about?"  
"you don't know Teen Wolf? Liam James Payne, what have you done with your life before you met me?  
Yeah yeah, i know, famous swimmer stuff", he just waves his hands at Liam as though this objection wouldn't matter at all, and Liam just closes his mouth again, grinning.

 

It was weird how Liam just fitted into Louis's night, into his life even. While he probably would've been annoyed if Harry or Niall would've been sitting on his couch and drinking his wine this evening, he liked Liam being there.  
Although Louis was pretty sure that Liam didn't get the plot of Teen Wolf, he didn't asked any questions but just went along with it without disturbing Louis or breaking the comfortable silence stretching around the two.  
Throughout the night, one bottle of wine somehow turned into two and Louis started to notice the alcohol, it made his guts tingle and he could actually feel his cheeks reddening.  
But he enjoyed it, normally Louis detestes this "pre-drunk" state where the alcohol would just make his body feel weirdly warm and he couldn't really hide his feelings and still wasn't drunk enough to blame it on the alcohol the next morning.   
On normal nights he would definitely keep drinking till he would be completely pissed out of his mind, but today he really didn't want to, he just enjoyed to be able to witness the way Liam would giggle at the most dumb things and how he was sprawled out on his couch, looking like he belonged there.   
And although Louis would never admit it(of course not, he has an reputation to uphold), he didn't want Liam to leave but he still managed to surprise himself´when he noticed Liam wanting to leave :" You can't leave! I mean, you're drunk, you can't drive, not gonna be responsible if your little popstar ass gets hurt"  
"I walked", and at that point Louis was almost positive that Liam was laughing at him "Still, could get raped or something" Louis protested.  
"So" Liam asked, "you want me to stay here?"  
"Yeah I guess.. you can have the bed, I'm just gonna crash on the couch"  
"How big is your bed?" Liam inquired. "big enough to fit three grown up males, we tried" And when Liam just looked at him, eyebrows raised, Louis realized how that sounded:" Not that way you pervert. With Niall and Harry I mean, they crashed here on New Years Eve, and where the hell do you think you're going?", he called out when Liam just turned around and marched through the whole flat:"Come on, we're sharing your bed casanova", and just like that Louis discovered another shade of Liam Payne which left him speechless.

 

Louis’s not supposed to like the way Liam is pressed up against him and how easily the taller male can handle him. He is not supposed to like people, especially not Liam!   
Still, he relaxes against the other males body and takes in how Liam’s chest would move in time with his breaths (“of course it does dumbass, that’s the concept of breathing, stop being so fucking sentimental”) and how he’d smell like bodywash and a little bit of alcohol and kinda manly and just so.. Liam.  
And again, Louis can’t really control his mouth and just blurbs out what he’s thinking :” You smell nice..”, and in the same moment he said that he could slap himself, “I mean, who the fuck says that?”  
But Liam’s just chuckling and glances down at Louis, and then up again quickly when he sees that Louis’s also looking at him. And he fucking blushes and he shouldn’t be allowed to do that, because it makes Louis’s stomach tingle a bit, but he’s also quite content with himself, or more with the fact that he’s the reason Liam’s embarrassed because Louis just likes to be in control, of others and also of his own feelings.   
“Don’t eat me please”  
And this answer is so stereotypical, that he just has to roll his eyes, but he’s way to lazy to tell Liam or to sit up so that he can see and he’s also a little bit drunk. A good drunk though, the kind of drunk that makes him a bit lightheaded and just loosens his tongue even more.  
“May just try to though. If you taste like you look and smell, then fuck, then you should definitely be a Mc Donalds burger. McPayne. I bet the sales would go through the roof. Can’t see why somebody wouldn’t want to have a taste.”

And this time he doesn’t even have to look up, he can almost feel how Liam is blushing like a little girl and the small giggle that escapes him makes his chest rumble and Louis’s head moves to that beat.   
And he is just lost for words, just because Liam giggled, and he doesn’t really know what to think about the man besides him, who has the body of a god and is probably stronger than anybody else Louis knows, and who stills manages to act like a little shy boy and gets embarrassed over the stupidest things.. And Louis really doesn’t know how to handle that, because he just can’t read Liam like he can read anybody else and he also definitely can’t read himself at the moment, which frustrates him to death. 

“Go to sleep Louis”, and just because Louis wants to answer and can’t keep his fucking mouth shut:” Don’t tell me what to do Payne”, and in an instant, he falls asleep.

 

When Louis wakes up the next morning, he needs a moment to remember why exactly he is pressed up against Liam fucking Payne. And when he remembers, he decides that it’s time to get up, get a cup of coffee and probably throw himself out of the window.  
But when he starts to move (he hardly moved a toe), the arm on his waist tightens it’s hold :” And where do you think you’re going?”, Liam grumbles without opening his eyes. And if Louis wouldn’t just have heard his voice and had sawn how his lips moved, he wouldn’t have believed that Liam’s awake (and of course he would never admit that Liam’s morning voice is unbelievable hot and did indeed sent a shiver down his spine).   
“I gotta get up though. Not everybody can afford to spent a whole morning in bed, popstar”, but the hold Liam has on his waist isn’t slackening and Louis finds himself struggling against it, probably not as hard as he usually would, but still. And somehow, due to his efforts of getting up, he finds himself face to face to a very sleepy Liam and he can feel his breath on his face and the sucker doesn’t even have bad breathe but still smells as incredible as the night before, and that’s definitely not good, because Louis can feel himself harden in his briefs.

“First of all, ain’t a popstar, am a swimmer. Secondly, you’re a student and it's sunday, so no classes for you. So shut up and get some sleep”, and without discussing this subject any further, Louis allows himself to drift off again. (Not that getting up would have been the best idea, not with that now very prominent bulge in his trouser, but he still made a mental note to himself that showing Liam his schedule the night before wasn’t his brightest idea and that he’s definitely not doing that again).


	4. Chapter 4

The thing with Louis is that he doesn't like to show his feelings, not even towards Niall and Harry.  
It's just easier for him to hide behind sarcastic comments or banter, which, let's be honest, belong to his personality like his limbs to his body or something.  
But this time, it wasn't this easy, and he couldn't really tell why and he definitely didn't know how to act around Liam anymore so he just stuck to avoiding him at all costs.

"Ok, seriously Lou, what's going on?" Harry finally asks on another Saturday morning, and moments like this make Louis wish for other friends, people who don't know him that well as Harry and Niall do.  
"What do you mean?" he tries to ask as nonchalantly as possible.  
"Well, for one, you've been successfully avoiding us for days, and every time someone mentions your name Liam gets all fidgety and looks like his going to explode. You should see it, it's hilarious." Harry answers while taking a sip from his coffee.  
"It's nothing, really. Just let it go, okay?" he adds when Harry raises his eyebrow.  
"Ok, if "it's nothing" then you surely want to come to Liam's swim meet today", and before Louis can protest and tell him that he can't, sorry, he really has important stuff to do like watching Supernatural, Harry's already out of the door.  
He really, really, really needs new friends he thinks, when he falls, face first, on the couch.

This isn't going to be as bad as he thought, Louis hopes when they arrive at the pool.  
They've met up with Zayn in front of the arena and are now sitting in the stands, far, far away from the actual pool. Plus, Liam's nowhere in sight, so he can allow himself to relax for a moment.  
While the others animatedly discuss Liam's chances of winning, Louis just stares at his phone and aimlessly scrolls through his twitter feed to distract himself,and let's face it, he doesn't know a single thing about swimming.  
(Besides the fact that it apparently bestowed Liam with those amazing shoulders of his, and those arms..No, no, you're not going there, Louis tells himself. Bad Louis)  
His thoughts are broken by Zayn, who's suddenly standing, waving his arms over his head (seriously, Louis can't wrap his head around the fact that Zayn really manages to convince people that he's all mysterious when in reality, he's the biggest dork he ever met, right behind Harry, and doesn't know what to do with his body), and a few feet under them, Liam's just coming out of the changing rooms.

And fuck, Louis shouldn't have come, 'cause who the fuck allows them to wear this ridiculous thight and tiny trunks? They should be banned, there should be a law against that, now way that that's legal, Louis thinks.  
He's so busy with checking Liam out ( a back definitely shouldn't turn him on like that), that he almost misses how Liam's eyes visibly brighten when he seems them, and it's adorable really, but still Louis shouldn't be that upset when Liam avoids his eyes and just blushes.

They watch Liam's preparation process and Louis really, really want's to take pictures, but that definitely would be creepy, and he's not that desperate, excuse you.  
And as if Liam could hear his thoughts, he's pulling his Ipod out of his bag, plugs the earphones in and actually squeezes the device between his hip and his swimming trunks, and now Louis's positive, he's gonna faint.  
He has never seen something so hot and fascinating and Liam look so thoroughly concentrated, but somehow Louis manages to tear his gaze away and concentrate on the arriving masses instead.  
A few rows in front of them, a group of giggling teenage girls hold posters up and start screaming when Liam acknowledges them, waving and winking.  
This can't be healthy, Louis thinks when he notices jealousy surging through his body and he desperately wants to to snap at the girls to leave Liam the fuck alone.  
But Liam looks smug as hell and like he's totally enjoying himself (So much to not liking standing in the spotlight, Louis thinks and mentally snorts at that), so he just sinks back in his seat and tries to distract himself.

 

Louis never was much of a sports person, football being the only thing he liked and was fairly good at, but he doesn't care about other kinds of sport.  
And still he can't tear his eyes away from Liam when the commentator introduces him (he's on lane three, between some guy from Russia on number two and the German one on number four), and the crowd goes mental.  
He never experienced something like this in his whole life, and he has to admit, the atmosphere is amazing.  
It's like being at your favorite band's concert, he thinks, but better because he actually knows this person down there, he knows Liam.  
And for some reason, he's so fucking proud, not because he know's Liam, the famous swimmer, but because he knows someone who achieved all of this and and who really worked hard for that, and Louis can't help but admire that.  
And when the crowd goes almost silent, without thinking about it, he suddenly stands up and screams :" Go Liam!", and when Liam turns around, laughs and gives him a thumbs up, Louis couldn't care less that the other three are very obviously trying to hide their laughter and that Harry nudges him in the side when he sits down again and knowingly waggles his eyebrows at him.

 

Liam wins, of course Louis thinks, when he stands next to Zayn and Niall, Zayn with a wide grin on his face and his hand outstretched while Niall rummages around in his pockets, muttering things under his breath, that Louis is sure, are not G-rated and still he doesn't feel bad for his best friend, his fault when he thinks betting against Liam and for the Irish swimmer would be a good idea.  
When the both of them finally finish, Zayn has never looked more smug Louis thinks, and Niall frowns at everyone who dares to look him in the eyes.  
"Wait, where we're going?", Louis asks while trying to keep up with Zayn and simultaneously rolling his eyes at his best friend.  
"Changing rooms", Zayn answers while already pushing open a door, completely ignoring the big sign that says "Privat" in big, bold capital letters.  
Liam isn't facing them when they enter and is still wearing his swimming trunks but grins brightly when Zayn practically jumps him from behind.  
Harry and Niall soon join in and go in for some kind of weird group hug, congratulating Liam while Louis stays back.  
When the others are done and Liam turn to him he just smiles weakly "Congratulations, Well done"  
"Thanks", Liam mutters back and smiles with his head cocked to one side and Louis can't help but think that he never looked more like a lost puppy than now.  
They keep eye contact, both fixed on each other like more things should be said and Louis's aware that the rest of their friends keep looking from one to the other like it's a fucking tennis match.  
Finally Harry breaks the silence :"For fucks sake, you two are ridiculous", and it's like breaking a spell which made them all speechless and unable to move and suddenly they're laughing and Louis grabs Liam by the arm and pulls him in a hug.

And in times like this, Louis realizes, he couldn't wish for better friends.


End file.
